Apparatus and method for building foundations and the like.



L. L. BROWN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. I914.

1,159,171. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

v I/VVENTOR LZBu/SZBM Z/ COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (JO-.WASNINGTON, n. c.

L. L. BROWN. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 19 174.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J VOOOOOOO Lu is WITNESSES I2 llVl/E/VTOR COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH co wAsnme'loN. D. c.

- L. L. BROWN. v APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY7,19I4.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3 ||lI||||| l illll llllw I I. ATTORNEY IIVVE/VTOR ,Zw Em WITNESSES :oLuMmA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

L. L. BROWN. APPARATUS ANDMETHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY]. I914- 1 1 59, 1 7 Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

IIVI/E/V TOR g /lszjmwio WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD-, \IVASIQINGTON. D. c.

L. L. BROWN.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDiNG FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY7, 1914.

1 9 1 59, 1 7 1 Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

COLUMBIA PLANDORAIH CO..WASHINGTDN. D, c.

1. L. BROWN. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1914. 1,159,171.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6- WITNESSES I l/Vl/E/VTOR /3101020 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D.

LOUIS L. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FOUNDATION COMPANY, A

' CORPORATION on NEW YORK. 1

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS AND THELIKEF invented certain new and useful Improve" ments in Apparatus and Methods for Building Foundations and the like, of which the following is a specification.

In building foundations by the pneumatic method it is customary to sink a number of caissons and to fill them with concrete so that they serve as piers to carry the weight of the superstructure. It is desirable in many cases to make a continuous wall of such caissons or piers around the lot and then to excavate within the lot for'flthe' cellars of the building. It has been found difiicult to form a water tight connection'between the adjacent piers so as to exclude water from the excavation. 7 7 My invention provides a new method by which this can be done with comparatively little difliculty and nodanger to the workmen.

The invention provides a method and ap-' paratus which are also applicable to other purposes, as hereinafter stated. f The accompanying drawings illustrate a method and apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure l is a plan of theadjace'nt por tions of two caissons or'piers during the sinking of the same"; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the low'er portion of one of the caissons with the addition ofa plow which is-con nected to the other caisson, the figurebein'g a section on the line- 3 3 of Fig. 2-, igwl is asection of the lower part of thetwoad jacent caissons on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is asi'deelevation similar td'Fig'. 3*

showing the position ofthe' parts during the operation of forming the joint; Fig-6 is a vertical section through the concretereceiving grooves during'the operat on offorming the oint; Fig. 7-is'a vertical SBCtlOIi through the earth-receiving grooves during the operation of forming the joint; Fig: 8

'1 is a horizontal section of two united caissonsii igxis section of the same after certain optionalfinishing steps. I

Referring now to the-embodiment 'of'the. invention illustrated" the caissons A may be' 10f any usual or suitable design, being: made Specification of Letters Patent.

If Patented Nov. 2, 1915."

' Application filed May 7, 1914. SerialNo. $36,933;

generally of solid concrete with a working chamber 13 (Figs. 4 and 6) at the lower end and a shaft or shafts through the center for" the passage of men and materials and with an air look at the upper end of each shaft f for maintaining a supply of compressedair 1n the working chamber. IThe'ends of thecaissons are molded with vertically extend ing grooves G which are to be used for the introduction of a connecting body of con crete between the adjacent caissons and which in the finished structure serves to tie the ad acent caissons or piers to each other.

on the end faces of the caissons they are provided each with a vertically movable plateiD which closes the groove C during the sinking] of the caisson, but which ispulled out after the caisson has sunk'to permit the placing of a key or bodyfof concrete from the roove C .of one pier across the in-v tervening space between the" two piers and into the groove C of the adjacent pier. The form illustrated for the plate D is onewhich is in common use in'ste'el sheet piling, a sort of bulb E' being provided on the edges of theplate and fitting between a pair of plates F and G, these being" riveted on an I-beam H mounted at'either side of the groove C. At its lower end the-Lbeam and attached part'siare supported upon a channelJ which with the angle constitutes the cutting edge ofthe caisson, the groove C having its inner face inclined outwardly'from about the level i j of the roofof the working chamber :to a

point just above thecutting edge soas to permit the working chamber'to be made of. the full length of the pier at its base.

At each side of the groove C, and sep'a rated therefrom by one of the I-beams H, is a groov'e L, which may be considerably shallower-than the grooveC. The sides'of v each of th'e'groovesL are composed of one oftheI-beam's H and a corner post M car-i.

rying a grooved 'pa-irof plates F and G simie.

la-r to those carried by the I-beams." 'aEach groove L is closed by a plate: or sheet N' having a bulb Eon each 'edge-engagedbe-I tween the plates FandG- Thus the plates N which close the'side grooves'L' are adapted to -b'e"raised, the sameas the plates'D which" cover the centralgroove; Thepuryposeof these grooves 'L is to provide a'space,

when the platesN are raised, for receiving a portio tof the earth whichlies between th'e caissons approximately equal in volume to that lying between the opposite plates D, so as to ease the removal of such earth in the manner hereinafter described from between the plates D in order to introduce the key of concrete across between the grooves C.

For removing the earth from between the opposed plates D. 1 use a device consisting of a plow or wedge shown best in Figs. 4

and 5 and indicated as a whole by the letter a O and having opposite downwardly inclined face portions P meeting in a point in the center with vertical stiffening ribs on the outer edge and with downwardly extending tail pieces Q at the two ends, and formed with an inner flange or plate R which is bolted to the outside face of the plate or sheet D at its lower end, so that the tail pieces Q extend below the lower end of the plate D. The plow O is bolted to the plate D after the caisson is sunk.

d stance outward and around the cutting edge. the plow being then introduced from the work ng chamber to theoutside of the plate and bolted thereon. Upon the adjacent face of the next caisson the plate D is 7 extended downward below the cutting edge and a plow O is applied thereon in the same way as the plow O and at a point below the latter. and this plow O is made smaller so that it lies be ow and within the plow O as ind cated in Fig. 5.

In sinking the caissons the plates D and N close the grooves C and L throughout their height, so that the caisson as it is sunk will occupy all of the space excavated and prevent the flowing of earth into such g ooves. which mightendanger the safety of adjoining buildings. hen the two caissons have been sunk. howe er. and the plows attached as above described, the se eral p ates D and N on the adjacent ends of both caissons are raised together. and at the same time concreteis introduced into the two grooves C as by means of pipes C. Fig. 6, or in any other suitable way; and as the plates are raised the supply of concrete is maintained at a point above the lower edges of' the plates D. The plows as they are raised force the earth to the sides inthe manner indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, their action being made very easy by reason of the vacant space provided by the grooves L as the latter are opened by the simultaneous raising of the plates 1 At the same time the bodv of concrete S introduced into the groovesC is forced out beyond the sides of the caisson and under the rising plows so that it forms a connecting body or key as indicated in Figs..(3 and 7. The arrows S in Figs. Sand 6 indicate the flow of the concrete. The earth flowing into the grooves L is ind cated at T in Fig. 7 and the arrows T in Figs. 5 and 7 indicate roughly thedirection of flow of the earth.

For this nurpose it is only necessary to excavate a slight cement V. r

The movement of the concrete S out beyond the plates D may be assisted by rammers or other means and workmen may godown into the grooves C to assist in the operation, if necessary.

The portion K of the cutting edge is continuous across the end of the caisson, but

the portion K is cut away at the center as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to give the workmen easy access tov the back of the plate D for insertion of the bolts to fasten the plow as in Fig. i. The lower ends of the plates N are bolted to the portions K of the cutting edge during sinking and are easily disconnected from within the working chamber when the plates are to be raised. The arrangement of the posts or beams H and M and the guides thereon hold the plates D and N out beyond the cutting edge, as indicated by the space between Dand J in Figs. land 2. To prevent the escape of air aroundthe cutting edge and up through this space and through the open grooves (J and L a packing should be provided as shown at W in Fig. 1 between the cutting edge and each of said plates D and N. Such packing may be hemp, oakum or the like and may be removed before the raising of the plates.

After sinking the line of caissons and completing the keys S the space within may be excavated with little or no leakage of water through the line of caissons. The earth T in the exposed portion of the grooves L and between the face lines of the caissons (Fig. 8) may then be removed at one side of the key S, as well as the corner posts M with their guides F, G. and the resulting space may be filled with brickwork U or concrete as shown in Fig. 9, practically extending the masonry in the inner face of the wall and making such face continuous and smooth wherever exposed by the excavation. The entire face may then be coated with a finishing coat as of waterproofing long as the caissons are close enough to gether to keep the plows overlapping. The lateral play between the two plows incicated in Fig. 5 permits the bottom of one caisson to be considerably out of line with the other without affecting the operation. The tail pieces Q, onthe plows prevent the eartn. displaced from above "by the rising of the plow from Working around to any material extent under the ends of the plow and permits the concrete to extend laterally substantiallyto the line of. these tail pieces Q.

In many cases it will be practicable to use a single plow on one of the plates D, lifting both plates D together and introducing the concrete either through one groove C alone so that it flows under the plow and into the opposite groove C. or introducing the concrete through both grooves G simultaneously. .In some cases also it may be possible to make a groove in only one caisson and only sufficiently deep to permit the introduction of pipes for supplying concrete under the plow to form a body of concrete extending between the substantially flat end faces of the caissons; having a plate D and plow only on thecaisson having such shallow groove. Y

7 Instead of two separate plows O and O I may in some cases use a single plow consisting of a suitably shaped block of wood, metal or othermaterial fastened to both plates D and therefore'perfectly closing the space between such plates. 1

y The caisson or pier illustrated is molded of solid concrete.

The side mold boards X may be sunk with it .or may be removed. whichever is more economicalinthe special circumstances. The ends are molded by means of boards located between the end; posts M and beams H for the side grooves and by means of suitably shaped boxes between the two beams H for the central groove: such boards and boxes being removed before the insertion of the removable plates and the sinking of the caisson.

The earth-receiving grooves L are preferably made of just sufiicient capacity to receive the quantity of earth which is to be removed by the plows and replaced bythe concrete key. They may, however, be madev larger or smaller according to circumstances and my inventioncontemplates the omission of such grooves where the condit1ons are such that the earth can be compacted or shoved aside or partly or entirely lifted above the surface (as where the depth is slight and the material light) by the plowsv provision of a special space to' without the receive 1t.

The'plows may-also be made of, various designs and proportions according to the conditions encountered; for example, a plow with only one inclined side may be used and 1 Various methods be used guiding said'plates, as well as the plates V which cover the earth-receiving grooves and their gulding and supporting means. The processmay b'e applied alsoto other cases thanthe joining of the piers of buildprovide-fl with plows'up on their outer faces.

that is the faces which are under the wall, and with means for introducing concrete from the opposite side of the pile under its lower edge and thus under the plow; the raising of the pile andthe continuous introduction of concrete resulting'in the production of a body of concrete extending from the desired level up nearly to actual contact with the lower edge of the wall; the space above this concrete and below the body of finally inhe wall being easilv accessible to sert a filling ofconcrete or the like.

in underpinning the" Though I have described with'great par j ticularity certain specific embodiments of my invention yet it is not to be'understood therefrom that the invention is restricted to the'particular embodiments disclosed. Various modifications in the details and in the arrangement of parts of the apparatus and 'in the several steps and in the order of steps'in the process may be made by those the invention.

What I claim is 1. The method of placing a body ofcon skilled in the art without departure from crete in the earth which consists in providing a plow at the' required depth adapted when raised to displace theearth in its path and raising said plow and. introducing concrete to take the place of the earth displaced by the plow.

2. The method crete in the earth wvliicli consists in providv ing va plow'at the required depth adapted when raised to force the earth to the side and raising said plow and simultaneously of placi'nga body of con.-

introducing concrete under'it to takethe place of the earth displaced bythe plow.

' 3; The method of placing a body of con j crete in the earth which consists in providing' a plow at the required depth adapted when raised to force the earth to the side and raising said plow and providing an empty space at tllGSldG of said plow for permittmg an easy movement of the earth displaced thereby" and introducing concrete beneath the plow as it. is raised to take the place of the earth displaced thereby.

4. The method of joining adjacent caissons which consists-in providing a plow at the required depth upon the outer face of one of said caissons, raising said plow and thereby displacing earth between the caissons and introducing concrete beneath said plow as it is raised to take the place of the displaced earth.

5. The method of joining adjacent caissons which consists in providing a plow at the required depth upon the outer face of one of said caissons, raising said plow and thereby displacing earth between the caissons sidewise and introducing concrete beneath said plow as it is raised to take the place ofthe displaced earth, and providing an empty space at the side of said plow for permitting an easy movement of the earth displaced thereby as it rises.

6. The method of joining the adjacent faces of two caissons which consists in providing on the outside of such adjacent faces a pair of plows, one mounted on each of said caissons and one overlapping the other and simultaneously raising said plows to cause them to displace the earth and introducing concrete beneath them to take the place of the displaced earth and to form a connectingbody between the two caissons.

'7. The method of joining the adjacent faces of two caissons which consists in providing on the outside of such adjacent faces a pair of plows, one mounted on each of said caissons and one overlapping the other and simultaneously raising said plows to cause them to displace the earth and introducing concrete beneath them to take the place of the displaced earth and to form a connecting body between the two caissons, and providing empty space for permitting an easy movement of the earth displaced by the aforesaid plows as the latter are raised.

8. The method of joining the adjacent faces of two caissons which consists in pro viding said caissons with grooves in said. adjacent faces for receiving concrete and with vertically movable plates closing the outer faces of said grooves, and providing means on the lower ends of said plates for displacing earth between them as the plates are raised and raising said plates and simultaneously filling said grooves with concrete and introducing the same under the ends of said plates to bridge the space between theopposite grooves and to form a body of concrete entering both said grooves and con stituting a key between said caissons.

9. The method of joining the adjacent faces of two caissons which consists in pro viding said caissons with grooves in said adjacent faces for receiving concrete and with vertically movable plates closing the outer faces of said grooves, and providing means on the lower ends of said plates for displacing earth between them as the plates are raised, and providing also grooves in the adjacent faces of the caissons closed by vertically movable plates and adapted when opened to receive the earth displaced by the aforesaid means, and raising the several plates referred to and simultaneouslyintroducing concrete into said first mentioned grooves and under the'lower edges of the plates closing the same so as, to occupy the space between the said grooves to form a body of concrete entering said grooves and constituting a key between said caissons.

10. The method of joining the adjacent ends of caissons which consists in providing a groove in at least one of said ends, closing said groove until the caissons are sunk and then opening the same and displacing earth from between the caisson ends into said groove and replacing the displaced earth by concrete extending across the space between said ends.

11. An apparatus of the character described including a plow and a supporting means therefor adapted to be sunk to the desired depth and then to be raised with the plow attached thereto to cause a displacement of the earth from the path of the V plow.

12. An apparatus of the character described including a plow and a supporting means therefor adapted to be sunk to the desired depth and then to be raised with the plow attached thereto to cause a displacement of the earth from the path of the plow and means for permitting the intro duction of concrete under the plow as the latter is raised, to take the place of the displaced earth.

13. A caisson or the like having a vertical groove, a vertically-guided plate closing said groove during the sinking of the caisson, and a plow adapted to be attached to the outer face of said plate, whereby the raising of the plate causes the plow to displace the earth in its path and the introduction of concrete into said groove causes the same to flow under said plow and replace the displaced earth.

14:. A pair of caissons or the like having opposed vertical grooves on their adjacent faces, vertically-guided plates closing said grooves during the sinking of the caissons,

and plows adapted to be attached to the outer faces of said plates and to overlap one another, whereby the raising of said plates displaces the earth between the caissons and the introduction of concrete into said groove causes the same to flow under said plow and replace the displaced earth.

15. A caisson or the like having a vertical Car its

groove, a vertically-guided plate closing said groove during the sinking of the caisson, and a plow adapted to be attached to the outer face of said plate, whereby the raising of the plate causes the plow to displace the earth in its path and the introduction of concrete into said groove causes thevsame to cally-guided plate opens its groove to easev the movement of the earth by said plow.

16. A pair'of caissons orthe like having opposed vertical grooves on their adjacent faces, vertically-guided plates closing said grooves during the sinking of the caissons, and plows adapted to be attached to the V outer faces of said plates and to overlap one another, whereby the raising of said plates displaces the earth between the caissons and the introduction of concrete into said groove causes the ame to flow under said plow and replace the displaced 'earth, said caissons having also earth-receiving vertical grooves adjacentto the first-mentioned grooves and vertically-guided plates closing said earthreceiving grooves during the sinking of the caisson, whereby the raising of the latter plates opens their grooves to ease the movement of the earth by the plows.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed 7 my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v V I V o LOUIS L. BROWN.

Witnesses: Y I

D. ANTHONY UsINA, LULU' STUBENVOLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. r 

